Psalm 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do not presume that after this solitary act of lamentation he rested; rather, he sustained this practice throughout his life—unlike us, who might shed tears briefly only to resume laughter, indulgence, and ease soon after. His existence was marked by ceaseless mourning. Let us strive to emulate his confession. If we avoid weeping in this life, we will inevitably grieve in the next; and there, without solace, while here we do so with purpose, here with appropriateness, and there with humiliation. As Christ foretold: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). Those who shed tears in this life will find no such suffering awaiting them, but will instead receive plentiful comfort: “Blessed are they that weep, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4); “Woe unto you, ye rich, for ye have already received your consolation” (Luke 6:24). Let those surrounded by luxury understand the nature of the king's bedding—not adorned with embellishments, but soaked in tears. For him, nights were filled not with rest but with deep sighs and sorrowful weeping. While daylight burdened him with cares, he transformed the hours meant for rest into a period of confession, shedding tears of profound sorrow. Weeping is always commendable, particularly during the night when no one interferes, allowing those who wish to indulge in this profound satisfaction freely. Those who have experienced such moments know the joy that tears can bring. These tears have the power to extinguish the unquenchable fire, cleansing the soul before the day of judgment. Thus, Paul wept day and night for three years, addressing the faults of others (Acts 20:31); yet we often remain indifferent to our own failings, embracing laughter and complacency while sinking into a slumber resembling death. While some of us indulge in sleep, akin to being in a deep unconsciousness, others endure a vigil that is even worse than death, preoccupied with material gain and plotting against one another. The truly vigilant, however, nourish their souls, watering them with tears as if they were rain, fostering seeds of virtue within. No vice or corruption can withstand the solace found in such tears. Those who release such tears do not fixate on worldly things, liberating their souls from anxiety and illuminating their minds. This message is intended not just for monks; it equally applies to the laity, perhaps even more so, as they distinctly require the healing power of repentance. Those who weep in this manner will rise with a soul transcending tranquility, free from all passions, filled with joy, ready to enter the house of God with confidence; they will engage with their neighbors in goodwill, for anger, lust, greed, envy, and similar vices cannot reside within. This nightly weeping expels all these afflictions as if driving away lurking beasts.

The prophet, constantly cognizant of that dreadful day and hour, was engulfed in fear, tormented by relentless sorrow, and spent his nights in tears. Hence, he exclaims, “I am weary from my sighs; I wash my bed every night; I water my couch with my tears,” firmly aware that those who sow in tears shall reap joy in the harvest of eternal life. “Those who go away weeping cast their seed, but those who come shall return with joy, gathering their sheaves” (Psalm 126:5, 6). Just as we are baptized through water and the Spirit, so too must we undergo a baptism of tears and the fervor of a contrite heart for true cleansing. Both the sacrament of baptism and genuine tearful repentance are bestowed only through the Holy Spirit.

If a single moment of anger can instill such dread in one who has sinned as a result, then it is far more understandable for those who have grappled with not only irritability but also the full array of passions—lust, greed, pride, ambition, envy, and the multitude of other negative inclinations—to feel despair regarding their hope for salvation. Thus, the prophet declares to all those who commit wrongdoing, “Depart from me, all you who practice iniquity.”

Thus, the phrase, “I will soak my bed in my tears,” serves to complement and clarify the earlier statement, “I will cleanse my bed every night.” Let us now pay attention to the repentance of such a great king, the prophet, and strive to follow his example. The prophet speaks these words to prompt the Lord, who is merciful towards us, to show us compassion swiftly and effortlessly, rather than waiting for a season of great distress to overwhelm his spirit, rendering him unable to perform any good acts, for the Lord will ultimately extend His mercy.

Tearful Prayer The act of shedding tears and mourning is a divine gift granted to those free from passions. If the tears of one who grieves can lead not only to a state of passionlessness but also thoroughly purify and liberate the mind from the thoughts of passions, what can be said of those who diligently engage in this practice both day and night? Hence, only those committed to this endeavor truly understand the aid that comes from weeping. All the saints aspire to this threshold, for through tears, the gateway to the land of solace is opened to them; within this realm, the blessed and redemptive footprints of God are revealed in visions.

It should not astonish us that, frequently at the moment of our baptism, a spirit of repentance is birthed within us. For we receive grace and forgiveness in baptism while still in our early years, yet as we mature in sin, we tarnish and diminish these divine gifts. However, through tears until our final days, we can continually experience renewal and purification, as the psalm asserts. The prophet declares: Psalm 6:8 My eye is full of anguish; I make my vow in all my tears.

Yet I will not stop the outpouring of my grief: I will cleanse my sins with an abundance of tears as I lie on my bed instead of finding rest, and I will saturate my bed, where I have indulged in wrongdoing, with a flood of tears—not just once or twice, but every night.

The first point to observe is the sheer volume of tears that David cried: instead of stating "I will wash away," the Hebrew text uses a word that means "I will swim," as translated by Jerome. The Slavic term for wash away implies an outpouring of many tears, sufficient to wash the very bed. Similarly, the act of washing suggests a torrent of tears flowing like a spring. Secondly, there's the aspect of the tears' duration: the phrase "for every night" holds a dual significance. It can indicate the outpouring throughout the night, as rendered by Jerome, or for the entire night, as translated by the seventy interpreters. Both interpretations are remarkable and true: the prophet wept copiously for an extended period and also each night. In this reflection, one should recognize those who, despite committing serious and weighty sins, manage to shed scarcely a drop of tears when seeking God's forgiveness.

The emotional landscape of the psalmist here is aptly captured: David endured ongoing persecution from Saul and his followers (v.9), leading him to experience profound sorrow. He perceives no immediate path to triumph over his enemies, prompting anxieties that God has forsaken him and is angry, with his suffering perceived not as a product of divine love but rather as a manifestation of divine wrath. This mindset exacerbates the psalmist's anguish, as both his heart is crushed and his physical form weakens. Ailing in both spirit and flesh (vv.3-4), he implores God not to cast him aside nor to repay him with rage, but instead to show compassion for this destitute servant (vv. 3-4). The psalmist emphasizes that the death of the one who praises God fervently would erase that praise, for in Sheol—where souls reside in oblivion (Ps. 87:13; 113:17; Is. 38:18)—there is no remembrance of the Almighty nor opportunity for worship.

Once again (vv. 7-8), the psalmist reveals his turmoil; feeling abandoned by God, he weeps through the night, and out of anguish (from rage—θύμω) his eyes become dimmed (from the Heb. meaning withered eye), aging prematurely, primarily due to relentless oppression from his adversaries. Then, turning his attention to these wicked individuals (v. 9), he finds solace in his plea, confident the Lord will respond. He asserts that the wicked should know shame as the psalmist’s cries have been acknowledged by God, envisioning a future assured through faith as if it has already materialized: may it be so! (v. 11).